


Born Again

by BloodStainsBlue



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: But also third-person, It's more a character study of III-VI than anything else, It's pretty mellow, M/M, Mostly from the POV of Ienzo, The relationship is there but only if you squint, and NOT CANON, canon-compliant-ish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-27
Updated: 2017-01-27
Packaged: 2018-09-20 08:23:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9482666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BloodStainsBlue/pseuds/BloodStainsBlue
Summary: They’re not allowed to leave the castle—not yet, Master Yen Sid tells them. The King says it’s for their own safety, in case Xehanort tries to come after them again, but they all know better. They’re not trusted.





	

            Zexion had been one of the most loyal members of the Organization. Ienzo didn’t know why he’d been chosen to die along with traitors like Marluxia and Larxene, but there was nothing to be done about it now.

            Not now that he was a full person again. He sips his orange tea and considers thanking Lea for what he’d done—but then supposes not. He didn’t know what he was doing, and it wasn’t a gentle death, either.

            Evan grumbles about the redheaded male over beakers and formulas, sometimes plotting his unpleasant demise and sometimes just cursing any family members Lea may or may not have left.

* * *

 

They’re not allowed to leave the castle—not yet, Master Yen Sid tells them. The King says it’s for their own safety, in case Xehanort tries to come after them again, but they all know better. They’re not trusted.

            Ienzo doesn’t understand why anyone thinks they would want to help the liar that tried to steal their minds and bodies but—Braig is doing it, as is Isa. Perhaps it’s not so implausible.

* * *

 

            Dilan spends his time holed up in the castle library, pouring over every book that he can. He steps out for food occasionally. Sometimes Ienzo brings him tea (Ienzo brings everyone tea lately). He usually reads about science or the history of Radiant Garden—now that Master Ansem is gone, he’s “allowed” to read the texts about other worlds’ histories.

            Ienzo asks if it gets lonely, and Dilan says it does. On those days, he reads romances and character dramas—puts himself in the places of the heroes and the gallant males who sweep women off of their feet.

* * *

 

            Even spends his time in the labs, as usual. There are still so many questions left to answer, Ienzo supposes. Ienzo joins him sometimes, but other times he can’t bring himself to.

            Even has a single drive in his life, one that Ienzo used to understand—he wants to know everything there is to know, not for any ulterior motive, but because there’s nothing else in life. Not even Xehanort’s perversion of the sciences has been enough to drive Even away.

            Ienzo envies that drive.

* * *

 

            Aeleus spends his time with Ienzo. Sometimes he works out. He pretends that he is not a vain man, but Ienzo knows better. He’s greatful to be human again, but Ienzo can tell that he’s upset that he’s no longer as strong as he’d been when he was a nobody.

            He runs laps around the castle. Usually he does sit-ups while Ienzo kneels on his feet, push-ups while the smaller male sits on his back, cross-legged and reading the weekly report that’s sent out by the Radiant Garden Restoration Committee. It gets delivered to them the same way the food they eat is—by a pretty brunette with an affinity for pink. She has a nice smile and never treats them with malice.

            Sora pays for their food with money he collects on his journey. Ienzo would tell him not to, but they have no other way of procuring sustenance except from Sora’s hand.

            Ienzo wonders if the Keyblade wielder feels bad for how savagely he hunted all of them down, never questioning their humanity or lack thereof, slaying more than half of their ranks with extreme prejudice—if keeping them as temporary pets is his way of apologizing, Ienzo supposes he can’t complain.

            If they ever see each other in person, he wonders if apologies will be exchanged.

            He would like to apologize to Riku sometime, but he doesn’t know if the newly-made Keyblade Master would accept it. He doesn’t forgive as easily as his friend does, so perhaps not.

* * *

 

            None of them know what they will do once Xehanort is defeated. “ _If_ he’s defeated,” Even always corrects, but the rest choose to remain hopeful. How many other miracles have happened in the past ten years? They’ve become human again, the girl who’d spent years trapped in the Realm of Darkness had been freed, a boy who’d been in a coma for just as long had awoken. Anything was possible. Although none of them were fighting, they could taste victory on the tips of their tongues.

            Dilan had a girlfriend before they’d become nobodies. Occasionally he’ll wonder out loud what she’s up to. Maybe she waited for him. Maybe she’s married to someone else now. Maybe she’s dead.

            He and Evan had no lives other than studying under Master Ansem and betraying him under the orders of Xehanort. Even seems happy to continue living his life the way he always had been.

            Ienzo has no idea what he’s going to do, but Aeleus promises that he’ll be with him no matter what he chooses.

* * *

 

            Ienzo sleeps less than all of the other men, and perhaps it’s because he feels the least amount of guilt.

            Dilan and Even never feel guilt for anything they do, anything they’ve done or will do. Dilan is too proud for it, and Even doesn’t seem to understand.

            Ienzo doesn’t know how Aeleus feels, but he supposes that’s how the older male wants him to feel.

            He often feels that he is the one who betrayed Master Ansem the worst—Xehanort may have been the one to stab the knife into him, but _he_ was the bait, using his youth and closeness to his Master to his advantage.

            The first three days of his awakening, he poured over Master Ansem’s personal diaries and notes, although he didn’t know what he was looking for—vindication of guilt, or perhaps validation for his feelings of it. He didn’t sleep, but read.

            He didn’t stop until Aeleus pulled him away, picking him up like he was a child and carrying him to bed, and his deep voice whispered, “Sleep,” and Ienzo couldn’t fight the magic that had settled into his bones and forced his eyes closed.

* * *

 

            “Is there anything out there for us?” Ienzo asks, again, as his fingertips trace along the lines that Aeleus’ muscles make on his skin.

            The older man pants, but otherwise looks the same as he always does—sturdy, calm, as emotionless as a rock-face. “That probably depends on what it is you’re looking for,” he answers, after a minute of thinking. He rolls over and looks at Ienzo’s half-hidden face, his body that is small and fragile.

            “I don’t know what I’m looking for,” Ienzo answers easily, as casually as if he were talking about dinner. “I don’t have anything to go _back to_.”

            Aeleus nods slowly, sits up and lifts Ienzo up, onto his lap, like the younger male is fine China.

            He lets his small frame lean against Aeleus’ larger one, and sighs deeply. “What do you have to go back to?” he asks, softly.

            “That doesn’t matter,” he whispers.

            “Doesn’t matter? How doesn’t it? You could leave me, once we’re not bound together by Master Ansem or Organization XIII or… this _house arrest_ that we’re under for _protection_.”

            ‘ _You will leave me_ ,’ he thinks, ‘ _Once there’s no longer any glue to hold us together.’_

            “It’s been ten years. The world has left us behind,” Aeleus whispers into Ienzo’s pallid neck, his grip tightening around his thin waist. “We’re born again. We can start over however we want.”

            Ienzo looks out the window and sees the stars that are shimmering against the black sky. “ _We_ can start over,” he whispers to himself. Aeleus snores lightly against his shoulder and one side of his mouth lifts itself in a smile.

* * *

 

            “C’mon, out! See the world, you’re free!” Lea calls out, good-naturedly shoving them out of the castle doors one by one.

            Roxas stands beside him, not celebrating with the rest of the world, with everyone who’d fought so hard, not ushering out the former Original VI like Axel is, but seemingly reveling in the warmth of his friend.

            Zexion’s eyes water when the sunlight hits him, and it’s too bright, too hot, too loud. He peels off his white jacket and lets it fall to the floor, loosens his collar to stave off the perspiration that peppers his neck.

            Dilan heads to town and Evan looks eager to sneak back into the castle as soon as all eyes are off of him and then there stand Aeleus and Ienzo.

            They are born again.

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully you guys enjoyed this. It's pretty mellow and small. I was in a bit of a somber mood when I wrote this, if you can't tell. 
> 
> Thanks for reading. Comment, kudos, say hi. Check me out on tumblr at 1dmetalfan.tumblr.com if you want.
> 
> Thanks for reading, lovelies. <3


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